Shattered Love
by Rebecca.Jane.Malfoy
Summary: Snowfeather has always been a medicine cat. Once, she was surrounded by family. Once, she had a mother, a father, a brother and a sister. Now they are all gone. Will any cat be able to mend Snowfeather's broken heart, even if she's a medicine cat?
1. The Battle

CHAPTER 1

"No!" Snowfeather wailed as Raventail dragged a body from the thick of the battle. It was Snowfeather's mother, Windsong. "Windsong! Oh, Windsong!" Snowfeather ran over to the body and buried her nose into Windsong's fur. Only the scent of death entered her nose not her mother's sweet scent.

"Snowfeather! You can grieve over your mother later! Go back and start treating Violeteyes!" Hailshade, the medicine cat barked at her apprentice. Snowfeather nodded and slowly left Windsong and went to treat Violeteyes, her own eyes dull and losing their river blue shine.

"Snowfeather, I'm really sorry about Windsong." Violeteyes mewed as Snowfeather applied cobwebs to her shoulder. Snowfeather just nodded as she went to snatch up a few leaves. When Violeteyes was done and able to rejoin the battle, Snowfeather nodded again. Violeteyes cast a sympathetic look at her before leaping onto a huge black and ginger tom.

Snowfeather trembled from the top of her head to her tail. She had already lost her father, Grayblaze in a fox attack, her brother Jayclaw with greencough and now her mother. Shimmerfire, her sister, shared her grief. Their Clan had lost the battle. DarkClan have won and MistClan have lost, losing many warriors.

As Snowfeather grieved, she remembered all her time with Windsong. The memories zipped back and forth in Snowfeather's mind almost as if they were bursting. Many cats came to share their grief for Windsong with Shimmerfire and Snowfeather. Snowfeather just nodded but Shimmerfire did most of the talking. Snowfeather just silently wailed her grief to StarClan. She glanced up at Silverpelt. A new star shone brightly.

"Oh, Windsong. What will I ever do without you?" Snowfeather mewed to herself. When the grieving was finished, Snowfeather touched her nose to Windsong's pale gray pelt once more before she was lifted up and led to be buried.

"Let all cats old enough to catch thier prey gather beneath the HighBranch for a Clan meeting!" Leopardstar, a gray spotted black she-cat yowled. All the cats gathered beneath the huge tree that leaders have always held meetings.

"We have lost a grave battle. Only nine of our warriors remain and one queen. We hope all the fallen warriors find peace in StarClan." Leopardstar mewed. "Our only warriors now are Violeteyes, Shimmerfire, Iceheart, Raventail, Nightstorm, Flowershine, Graywhisker, Tawnyclaw, Lichenpelt and Hazelsnow."

"We will keep an eye on all our borders now. If any Clan dares to challenge MistClan, tell them that we will fight. We will fight for those who have died! For all of MistClan!" Leopardstar yowled. All the cats shouted back in agreement and the meeting broke up. Nightstorm, the deputy, began to organize patrols for Hazelsnow and Tawnyclaw's two tom kits. The only three apprentices, one she-cat and the other two toms, went with Summerwind and Flowershine on a hunting patrol.

Snowfeather hung her head, still in grief, as she went back to the medicine den with Hailshade.

"Snowfeather, you can take these to the nursery." Hailshade prodded at a lump of moss oozing with honey. Snowfeather nodded and picked it up, padding towards the nursery.

"Hazelsnow, these are for your kits." Snowfeather dropped the honey-moss in front of Hazelsnow's kits. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Thank you, Snowfeather." Hazelsnow nodded at Snowfeather. Leaf-bare was fast approaching and prey was getting scarce. Hazelsnow's kits, Tigerkit and Sunkit, both jumped at the honey, licking the golden liquid greedily. "They haven't drank milk in two days."

"I'll go get you a rabbit or something." Snowfeather mewed as she walked to the fresh-kill pile. Nightstorm was there, mewing to Violeteyes.

"Hello, Snowfeather." Violeteyes mewed. Nightstorm nodded at Snowfeather. Snowfeather nodded at Violeteyes and dipped her head to Nightstorm as she selected a rabbit for Hazelsnow. Snowfeather returned to the nursery and gave Hazelsnow the rabbit.

She gazed dully at the kits as they ate the honey. But she wasn't thinking about Windsong anymore, she was thinking about love. But she quickly forced the thought away. She was a medicine cat! She would never know the real truth of being a mother or having a mate and kits.

"Shall I go and get more honey?" Snowfeather asked Hazelsnow.

"That will be enough, Snowfeather." Hazelsnow nodded at Snowfeather as she picked up the moss and padded back to the medicine den. She was sent to the forest to pick some herbs.

As Snowfeather bent down to pick up some leaves, she bumped noses with something. Nightstorm!

"Sorry." Snowfeather mumbled. She looked up into Nightstorm's green eyes and for a moment, she couldn't move. Neither could Nightstorm. A flash of embarrassment rippled through Snowfeather's pelt as she looked away, feeling hot with embarrassment.

"Out collecting herbs?" Nightstorm asked, sitting down and began grooming his sleek jet-black fur.

"Yeah. Just before leaf-bare comes." Snowfeather nodded as she bent down to reach the leaves again. She gathered them in a bundle and dipped her head to Nightstorm once more before padding back to camp. As Snowfeather shared a vole with Shimmerfire, Shimmerfire noticed something different.

"Snowfeather, you don't look the same." Shimmerfire mewed.

"What do you mean?" Snowfeather asked.

"You look moony. There's something different with your eyes." Shimmerfire explained. _Moony? Who would I ever moon over? I'm a medicine cat for StarClan's sake!_ Snowfeather thought to herself.

"I'm a medicine cat! I don't moon over anyone!" Snowfeather snapped.

"Suit yourself." Shimmerfire shurgged and bent down to take another bite of the vole. Snowfeather glanced around the camp. Violeteyes was mewing with Nightstorm almost as if they were...mates. A surge of jealousy waved through Snowfeather. Snowfeather struggled to push the feeling away. She should be happy. Violeteyes was her good friend. Thinking about good things didn't calm Snowfeather's jealousy, only by a bit.

"I'm not hungry." Snowfeather managed to not growl at Shimmerfire as she stood up and went to the medicine den. She needed to calm down. Snowfeather curled up and began to sleep.

**END OF CHAPTER 1!**

**Please review and rate it! New chapters will be posted daily!**

**~Bluefeather of MistClan  
><strong>


	2. The Death of Shimmerfire

CHAPTER 2

Snowfeather awoke at dawn. The dawn patrol had already left with Lichenpelt, Flowershine, Minnowpaw and Shimmerfire. As Snowfeather went out to hunt, a shriek went through the forest. _Shimmerfire!_

"No! Shimmerfire!" Snowfeather wailed as she ran through the forest until she got to the Thunderpath, the border between DarkClan and MistClan. "Shimmerfire!" Shimmerfire was lying on the ground, barely breathing. A Monster had rolled her over. Snowfeather clawed her way to Shimmerfire. "No!"

"Snow...Snowfeather. I must go...a-and join StarClan." Shimmerfire whispered.

"No! Hang in there! You can't die! You can't!" Snowfeather cried, desperately searching for cobwebs. "Please, StarClan! Don't take my sister away! Please! _Please!_"

"I...I am s-sorry. It...it was m-meant to be." Shimmerfire sighed, struggling to keep her own blue eyes open.

"No...no. No!" Snowfeather wailed as Shimmerfire went limp. "Shimmerfire!" But Shimmerfire was gone. "No!" Flowershine comforted Snowfeather as Lichenpelt and Minnowpaw carried Shimmerfire's body back to camp.

Images of Snowfeather's former family raced through her mind. Graystone, her father. Stonewhisker, her brother. Windsong, her mother. And now, Shimmerfire, her only sibling. All her loved ones. Forever gone. All in StarClan.

"_We will meet again. Don't worry, my dear sister._" Shimmerfire's voice went through Snowfeather. Snowfeather caught just a bit of Shimmerfire's scent before it was gone. Why? Why, why, why? Snowfeather wanted to die.

"Leopardstar." Lichenpelt began reporting. "Shimmerfire was killed by a monster. DarkClan warriors were trying to get past the border for our prey." Leopardstar's eyes turned dull with sorrow.

Snowfeather trembled when the elders, Larkfur, Grassfoot and Waterbird laid Shimmerfire with sweet smelling herbs. _Just like yesterday._ Snowfeather thought. She remembered when Shimmerfire was beside her, just so many hours ago. Shimmerfire's sweet, rosy scent was gone forever. Leopardstar turned to Snowfeather.

"Snowfeather, may your sister rest in StarClan. She was a great warrior, always thinking for others." Leopardstar mewed quietly. Snowfeather may not know it but Graystone's father, the deceased Kinkpelt, was also Leopardstar's father. Except that Leopardstar's mother was Larkfur. Leopardstar was distantly related to Snowfeather.

"I...I know." Snowfeather nodded. "But I have no one now."

"Don't worry, Snowfeather. Things will be better, I promise." Leopardstar mewed. _No. Things will not be better. I just lost my last family member for StarClan's sake!_ Snowfeather thought. But she couldn't possibly say that to her leader so Snowfeather just nodded. Snowfeather sat vigil for the entire day, not even eating when Nightstorm gave her a mouse.

"Snowfeather. You need to eat something." Violeteyes told her gently. The white-furred she-cat nudged the mouse and looked back at Snowfeather with her sad violet eyes.

"I-I'm not hungry." Snowfeather insisted, even though her stomach growled.

"You shouldn't starve yourself. Come on, take a bite or two. It is precious fresh kill after all." Violeteyes told her sternly. Snowfeather sighed and took a bite. And another. And another until the mouse was finished.

"I miss Shimmerfire and Windsong so much." Snowfeather's voice cracked a bit.

"I know. I was the same when Maybird died. We were so close." Violeteyes recalled her sister. "It's always hard when a family memeber dies."

"It's w-worse when your whole family has died and you're the only one left." Snowfeather sighed. Violeteyes felt Snowfeather was becoming more and more different. Snowfeather was indeed looking different. Her snowy white pelt lost it's usual glimmer, her tail and ears always drooped on the ground and her blue eyes were dull with sorrow. As Shimmerfire was lifted up by the elders, Snowfeather wanted to follow but her paws were almost frozen to the ground.

"Come on, you need some sleep. Shimmerfire is still beside you." Violeteyes comforted Snowfeather as she led the medicine cat back to her den. Snowfeather curled up and slept, dreaming of StarClan.

"StarClan! How can you be so cruel? Why do you take away my family from me?" Snowfeather snarled with anger but also with sadness at the ranks of StarClan. Redstar, the former leader of MistClan, padded up to her.

"It was meant to be." Redstar repeated the words Shimmerfire had mewed when she died.

"I am meant to suffer?" Snowfeather cried.

"No, it was your father, brother, mother and sister's choice." Redstar mewed.

"And I am left to suffer? Do you know how much I want to die?" Snowfeather shrieked at Redstar. It was improper, considering he was a former leader and she was a medicine cat but Snowfeather couldn't take it any longer.

"You cannot die and you will not die. You have a whole life in front of you. Live it." Redstar mewed. "Your family's spirits will be beside you always." Snowfeather was instantly awake after Redstar had finished mewing. _It was meant to be._ The words echoed in Snowfeather's ears as she padded into the forest at dawn.

Snowfeather sat down beside the deep river that was the border between StreamClan and MistClan, unaware that she was being followed. She remembered everything to do with her family. Her father playing with her, her sister and brother. Her mother, grooming her on the day of her apprentice ceremony. Her sister, sharing a squirrel with her.

Snowfeather couldn't take it any longer. She took one last look at the rising sun and plunged into the water, sinking and sinking. _It was meant to be._ The words echoed in her ears.

**END OF CHAPTER 2!**

**CLIFF HANGER! It's sad huh? SPOILER ALERT FOR NEXT FEW CHAPTERS: Little did Violeteyes know she is going to end up HATING Snowfeather.**

**New chapters posted daily! Please review and rate!  
><strong>

**~Bluefeather of...MISTCLAN! XD  
><strong>


	3. Saved from Drowning

CHAPTER 3

Down and down Snowfeather sunk. Suddenly, she felt something tugging her. Too weak to fight back, she let the tugging proceed. It was Nightstorm! Snowfeather found out when she opened her eyes for just a second. Nightstorm dragged her through the current.

"What do you think you are doing on the border?" A voice rang out. Another shape plunged into the water, this time dragging both Nightstorm and Snowfeather to MistClan's side of the border. "Are you crazy?"

"Sorry. She was gathering herbs and fell into the river." Nightstorm let go of Snowfeather's scruff as he panted.

"Well, I guess that's okay. Tell her to be more careful." The StreamClan cat mewed. Nightstorm nodded and the cat plunged into the water, swimming towards StreamClan.

"Snowfeather? Are you okay?" Nightstorm lapped at Snowfeather's fur. Snowfeather was unconscious but she was breathing normally at least. Nightstorm gently pulled Snowfeather over his shoulders and carried her back to camp.

"Snowfeather! Whatever happened to you?" Hailshade mewed anxiously when Nightstorm appeared with Snowfeather.

"She was gathering herbs by the border and she accidentally fell in. I was out hunting." Nightstorm explained, though he know it wasn't the truth. He carried Snowfeather to the medicine den and laid her in her nest.

"Nightstorm, are you okay?" Violeteyes asked anxiously. A twinkle of jealousy glistened in her violet eyes.

"I'm fine. And I hope Snowfeather is too." Nightstorm mewed, lapping at his pelt to get the water out.

"Me too." Violeteyes mewed, though she didn't really mean it. "I'll go get you some fresh kill."

"No, it's okay. I have some buried in the forest." Nightstorm stood up and padded back into the forest. He wasn't really going to find the fresh kill. He was going to think why Snowfeather plunged into the river.

_Maybe...it was an accident? _Nightstorm thought. _Or not? Why would a cat want to jump into the river? Her family is gone and so she must...want to join them. I don't know if she knows but I have feelings for her._ Nightstorm tried pushing the thought away as he dug out a squirrel. _I love her. But she's a medicine cat! She won't love me._ Nightstorm continued, trying to find where he buried his rabbit.

Nightstorm padded back to the camp. Snowfeather had woken up and Hailshade had told her how Nightstorm had saved her from drowning. Snowfeather was grateful to Nightstorm but she was disappointed. She wanted to die, but not anymore. As Snowfeather walked out, she began thinking of Nightstorm as he was thinking about her.

_Does he love me? Why else would he save me? _Snowfeather thought. _I love him too. But I'm a medicine cat. Hailshade, Graystone, Stonewhisker, Windsong or Shimmerfire will never forgive me if I love him! And what about Violeteyes? She's my best friend! She will hate me forever! _Snowfeather abruptedly stopped thinking about it because she and Nightstorm had accidentally bumped on the way to the fresh kill pile. Again. On the nose.

"Sorry. But thanks for saving me from drowning." Snowfeather mewed, gazing into Nightstorm's green eyes.

"No problem, Snowfeather." Nightstorm mewed, looking back into Snowfeather's blue eyes. They stayed there for a split two seconds before Snowfeather turned in embarrassment. She chose a rabbit and padded back to the medicine den.

"Snowfeather, I need to talk to you about something." Hailshade mewed. Snowfeather gulped. _Did she find out that I like Nightstorm?_ She thought frantically.

"Yes?" Snowfeather asked, after taking a bite of her rabbit.

"You know that Flowershine is having kits, right?" Hailshade mewed.

"She is? That's wonderful!" Snowfeather exclaimed, the guilt melting away from her.

"Yes. Raventail's kits. Well, StarClan sent me a prophecy that we, you and me, will mentor one of Flowershine's kits, training him or her to be a medicine cat." Hailshade curled her tail happily.

"But...with all those warriors lost...Won't Leopardstar make all the kits warriors?" Snowfeather asked.

"I'm not quite sure. I'll go ask Leopardstar after I pay a visit to Hazelsnow. You should rest, Snowfeather." Hailshade mewed. Snowfeather curled up into a white ball, drifting to sleep.

Snowfeather woke up in a dark valley. _Where is StarClan?_ She wondered.

"Welcome to the Dark Forest, young one." A deep, dark voice growled beside her. _The Dark Forest! _Snowfeather gasped silently. She turned to see a huge black-brown tom with evil yellow eyes.

"Why am I here? Where is StarClan?" Snowfeather managed to snarl.

"No need for hissing." The tom mewed, though it sounded much more like a growl. "StarClan is across the border."

"And where is this border?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because even though I'm a medicine cat, I'm not afraid of using my claws!"

"Hmm...Well then, I hope you won't mind a fight." The tom unsheathed his long claws. Snowfeather gulped. She didn't know the first thing about fighting! She turned and fled, aware of the tom chasing her.

"Stay away from me!" Snowfeather shrieked, jerking awake.

"Snowfeather! Are you okay?" Hailshade stirred from her sleep.

"Nightmare. I dreamed that I was in the Dark Forest and a tom was there with me." Snowfeather shook.

"What did he look like?" Hailshade grew rigid.

"He was brown but he had black stripes and yellow eyes." Snowfeather mewed. Hailshade's eyes grew dark.

"He was Shadowclaw. When you were born, he was killed. He was the most blood-thirsty cat the Clan has ever seen. Shadowclaw killed cats for no reason. He wanted to become leader. That's how Leafstar died. He was killed by Shadowclaw. But, you know who killed Shadowclaw, just to save you?" Hailshade mewed.

"Shadowclaw wanted to kill me? Why?" Snowfeather asked.

"Because he was jealous of Graystone. He wanted to kill all of your family. But do you know who had saved you?" Hailshade asked.

"Who?" Snowfeather mewed.

"Nightstorm." Hailshade mewed.

**END OF CHAPTER 3!**

**Please rate and review! I'll try to post new chapters as soon as possible!**

**~Bluefeather  
><strong>


	4. Love Begins, So Does Hate

CHAPTER 4

"Nightstorm? But he was only an apprentice back then!" Snowfeather gasped.

"It's true. He was injured gravely but he had managed to kill Shadowclaw." Hailshade explained this to Snowfeather.

"I never knew that..." Snowfeather mewed.

"Well now you do. Go and hunt for prey and herbs. Leaf-bare is almost here." Hailshade mewed. Snowfeather nodded and padded out of the medicine den into the bright sunshine. Violeteyes stood nearby.

"Want to go and hunt with me? We kind of need to talk." Violeteyes mewed, her eyes cold and dark.

"Sure." Snowfeather felt uneasy. She and Violeteyes were best friends, why would they need to talk?

"It's about Nightstorm." At the mention of Nightstorm's name, Snowfeather's pelt warmed up.

"What about him?" Snowfeather asked.

"Look, you need to back off. Stay away from him." Violeteyes growled, pacing around and around.

"W-what do you mean?" Snowfeather felt as if Violeteyes had clawed her. Hard.

"I know you like him. But he is going to be my mate, no matter what. Back off okay?" Violeteyes's growls are close to becoming snarls and hisses.

"But, but I don't _like_ him. I'm a medicine cat for StarClan's sake!" Snowfeather exclaimed.

"I still know you love him. But guess what? He loves me and I love him. Stay away from Nightstorm!" Violeteyes snarled. Nightstorm, who happened to be hunting very close to them, stopped in his tracks. He hid behind a bush and listened closely. _What is Violeteyes doing?_ He thought.

"I-I-I really don't like him, Violeteyes. Honestly." Snowfeather backed away from Violeteyes, which only made Violeteyes come forward to the frightened medicine cat, claws unsheathed.

"Well, I don't believe you, Snowfeather!" Violeteyes screeched and lunged at Snowfeather. She raked her claws across Snowfeather's snowy white pelt. Snowfeather shrieked in anger and shock.

"Enough!"Nightstorm yowled and pried the two she-cats apart. Violeteyes lost a scrap of fur on her shoulder and Snowfeather had claw marksand blood across her back. "What is going on here?"

"Nothing, Nightstorm!" Violeteyes mewed, trying to keep it steady.

"I will report this to Leopardstar. Go back now, Violeteyes. I need to talk with Snowfeather. Alone." Nightstorm almost spat at Violeteyes. Violeteyes was wise to keep silent as she went back to camp.

"What happened?" Nightstorm turned to Snowfeather, his voice softer.

"Violeteyes accused me of...liking and loving you." Snowfeather's pelt warmed up with embarrassment.

"Do you?" Nightstorm asked.

"I'm a medicine cat. But...Yes, I do like you. A lot." Snowfeather looked away from Nightstorm's eyes.

"I like you too." Nightstorm mewed softly.

"You...you do?" Snowfeather turned her gaze back to Nightstorm. "But...But I'm a medicine cat."

"That doesn't matter. You are beautiful, kind and caring." Nightstorm mewed.

"Thanks, Nightstorm." Snowfeather mewed as the two twined tails. "What about the Clan? What if they knew?"

"We won't let them know, Snowfeather. We'll keep this to ourselves." Nightstorm promised.

"But...what if we had kits? Who would take care of them?" Worry flashed in Snowfeather's eyes.

"I don't know yet. But don't worry, we will get through this." Nightstorm mewed as the two cats padded back to camp, untwining their tails quickly as he put a serious look on his face. He padded to Leopardstar's den. Snowfeather padded to the medicine den and began treating herself with cobwebs.

"Violeteyes, for two moons, you will do the jobs of an apprentice. You will care for the elders, hunt for them and the queens and go hunting with a warrior. That is your punishment for hurting our medicine cat." Leopardstar's mew came a few mouse-lengths away from the medicine den.

"Hailshade, I'll bring some honey to Flowershine and Hazelsnow." Snowfeather mewed after Hailshade had rubbed more herbs on her stinging back. Hailshade nodded and began preparing a greencough poultice and a whitecough poultice. Snowfeather dropped some wet moss into a rock-hole full of honey. It was from a honeycomb that Iceheart had brought from a hive near the DarkClan border. Snowfeather padded into the nursery and gave half of the honey-moss to Hazelsnow and her kits and the other half to Flowershine.

"I hope my kits will survive. Leaf-bare is here. Look at the sky, it's snowing." Flowershine nodded at the sky. It was whitening up and snow fell. Snowfeather sighed. No one could see her in the snow, unless she was muddy and dirty. Her white pelt gave her advantages though. If she was a warrior and in a battle, she would be very successful. Windsong had looked disapprovingly when Snowfeather chose to become a medicine cat.

"Don't worry, Flowershine. You are strong and your kits will be too." Snowfeather assured the queen. _I hope I can be strong too._

"Thanks, Snowfeather. If only you were a warrior. I know that your kits would be as kind and caring as you are." Flowershine purred at Snowfeather. Snowfeather's heart ached uncontrollably. Flowershine sounded so much like Windsong. How Snowfeather missed her! Snowfeather purred back at Flowershine before padding to the fresh kill pile. She selected a small shrew for herself and went to the medicine cat den.

"We're getting low on prey." Hailshade sighed. Snowfeather nodded absently and bit into her shrew, hoping that everything will turn out right.

**END OF CHAPTER 4!**

**There will probably be a sequel to this story, but I'm not sure yet. Please rate & review!**

**~Bluefeather  
><strong>


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